True Blue

Apparently, Trump sent Melania to look over the "Original Wall" before he made an offer on it https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2017/11/melania-trump-great-wall-of-china

So it's "deal time" soon what are you looking for this year? Me: not too ambitious this year, maybe a Battery operated weed wacker, Night light, maybe a pair of boots

I will enjoy and look forward to an extra hour of sleep tonight. The darkness when I leave work at 5 pm is not something I look forward to though/

Chives. That's it. Not chives like you buy as a slightly oniony flavor and use in small amounts for the cream cheese spread. When Chinese are talking chives they mean CHIVES, like grass you just picked out of the lawnmower. When you cook it in a wok or in a pan of water, it smells like a thousand lawnmowers parked in the front lawn after they spent all day cutting grass.The wife stuffs it into bao zi or anything she can hide it in. And just like eating turnips raw, it comes out later as a gaseous air emanating from a relaxation of the sphincter muscle. (I did not say fart.) But it's why we love her. Eat and smile. Smile and eat.....(no offense Catherine. I will try the cake.) I very much like the Chinese chives in Chinese dumplings, either vegetable dumplings or pork or shrimp dumplings. Only problem is I like them too much and it is hard to stop eating them. A little like potato chips - once you eat one, then you want more. Chinese food is too good. I like pretty much any Chinese food I have eaten except for Moon cake. For me, Chinese moon cake is the equivalent of American fruit cake. Looks good, makes a great gift and then you want to re-wrap it and re-gift it to your elderly aunt or grandmother... Not that I would ever think of doing this...hahaha!

So I had to laugh when I read this posting. Making a video of cutting vegetables with a large knife with eyes closed??? I remember I have seen this before, ....in a movie theater.... in China. It's the story of a blind girl who fights with swords called "House of Flying Daggers" by my favorite Chinese film director, Zhang Yimou, Watch this short clip and your eyes are mesmerized on whether the blind girl will cut herself or not. Now that you have seen this video, the actress will be familiar to all of us ---she is also the one who stole the sword in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" BUT...did you notice her teeth? Nope! Did she even have any TEETH? Hahaha! No one even noticed because we were all worried that she would cut herself with sharp blades. A very clever idea so I am awarding 3 bonus "Likes" for this post for ingenuity, but also subtracting 1 "like" since it is dangerous to your safety -you could lose a finger Final Score: 3 (net) likes. Regards, True Blue

I notice that Asian markets are often in a run down buildings in a poor area of town because the owners do not want to pay high rent. These areas are often poorly maintained and the markets are very busy and understaffed so they are...well....dirty. I also learned from my wife that much of Chinese cuisine is not for eating pleasure but for health benefits. For example, she cooks and serves some dried chewy mushroom for us to eat about once a week. It doesn't taste bad. It doesn't taste good either. It adds nothing to the flavor of the meal. It's purpose is to clean the liver. Sometimes at meal time I feel like a car on the rack, brought in for oil change, windshield wiper fluid, brake fluid and steering fluid. Eating many vegetables, vitamins and herbal supplements that are "good for me" to maintain my health but not too delicious in terms of taste. Mainly they have little or no flavor - good or bad - just necessary to keep the body running well. I eat most of the things my wife makes. Bitter melon was apparently a favorite food of Mao Zedong, though it is not one of my favorites. Drops the blood sugar and helps the heart, but is one food I don't mind skipping. I am happy when the local market runs out of stock for this vegetable.. Most of the Chinese and Asian snacks that I have tried like seaweed and sunflower seeds aren't particularly flavorful or tasty to me. I would much rather eat some fruit, nuts or berries. I do like the Wasabi peas though. They sting my tongue and numb my taste buds but they make you want to eat more. Like you, we are also Aldi fans. The prices are good and the fruit and vegetables are plentiful if you get there on the 1 day of the week that the new fruit and vegetables are delivered.

I don't mind an extra hour to stay in bed especially when it gets cold outside in the low 60's (I know I am a wimp for the cold but keep in mind that I live in Florida)

For me, every time I go to the local Asian food market (sells Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai foods) with my wife (which isn'tt often, maybe just once every 2 or 3 weeks) I head straight for the Lao Gamma Black bean sauce. My wife goes to the market every week and balances shopping between the Asian market, a supermarket, Walmart, a shopping club etc. She often shops during the week while I work so I usually only accompany her on weekends. I love Lao Gamma and also the salty pickled vegetables that go in my congee ( she calls congee Zhou?..sound like joe to me so that's what I call it too. So what are your favorite indulgences that are only available at your local Chinese/Asian market or that you must have shipped to you from friends and relatives in China? And for you expats, what foods do you crave from the US that you seek out at specialty markets near where you live? I always wondered what US foods expats would have a hard time finding. Cheese (see my previous post about Xian) was one thing I saw missing/tiny choice from Chinese supermarkets. Best, True Black Bean Sauce Blue

https://america.cgtn.com/2017/10/27/ten-of-chinas-terracotta-warriors-march-their-way-to-us-exhibition Only 10 warriors on exhibit, but well worth seeing, especially if you have never been to Xian to see the awesomely impressive display there. Be sure to go to Xian to see the enormous display of thousands of warriors on your next trip to China. Also the food in Xian is quite memorable and they have a meat sandwich there (tastes a bit like smoked turkey to me, my wife's family is not from there -perhaps others here can help me with the description) that is their version of the famous Philadelphia cheesesteak, though without cheese. Cheese is one gift some of our friends and relatives appreciate from the USA, though many do not care for it. I love cheese with everything and my wife likes it quite a bit as well. She has introduced me too many new foods from all over China over the years and I have introduced her to many different cheeses. One of my favorite trips with her was when we went to a cheese factory in Holland (Netherlands). We stayed for hours sampling about 50 different cheeses. We also have been to cheese factories in Quebec and upstate New York. Haven't made it to Wisconsin yet, but it's on our list. Best, True Blue Cheese

I think when unrealistic targets are set and not met, then there is a lot of pressure to falsify numbers to "achieve" results in order to save "face". Better an honest 4% steady economic growth than a report of 7 percent that is "inflated" by accounting tricks and false numbers. It's important for the West to have confidence that Chinese companies are reporting accurate numbers and that those numbers are being audited. When the company is "owned/operated" by the national government there is a lot of pressure on auditors to "look the other way" and allow inflated and fictitious growth reports.

Laoshi Li, I had a lot of dental work done during my last visit to Beijing. There are many American trained dentists there (mine was trained at the University of Texas) and the total cost to me (with no dental insurance) was $1,700 plus a couple boxes for chocolates from USA vs $9,200 cost quote in USA. That's a savings of over 83% and quality of care was excellent. I only needed 3 visits over 2 weeks vs a planned 4 1/2 months to get same work done in USA. I don't speak much Mandarin and the dentist and her assistants didn't speak much English but we communicated very well. I agree with Larry, Mexico or Caribbean can also be an option. People call this medical tourism, the savings from your medical treatment more than pays the cost of your travel vacation. I think if you go back to visit family and can get away China is perhaps best option as you can ask references and do check of the dentist training, education and qualifications. As for the amount of procedures you want or think you need, I've always followed the 80/20 rule to get most (American's say) "bang for the buck" which means value for the money. So unless your husband is Bill Gates or Warren Buffet you may not want/need to get the most expensive, elaborate treatments unless you plan to star in High Definition Hollywood movies but get reasonable cost that addresses much/most of the issues that you feel you may have. From your picture, it looks like you are very attractive young lady so ask your husband and best girl friends, children to be honest with you re: how much (if any) treatments your teeth may need. Maybe you really only need a little or just adjust one or two teeth. Remember people tend to be very self conscious with their looks so some small problem like a 1 mm pimple on a forehead that 99% of people don't even notice tends to look to ourselves in the mirror like a 20 cm cut from a axe hitting our head. Hope this helps and I will "Like" all of your posts. Best wishes, True Blue

Randy, Be very careful and stay healthy. I'm sure you know how to handle yourself and what foods/restaurants/areas to avoid. Best, True Blue

My wife is always on my to lose weight so I can live a long life. Fats Domino made it to age 89. I'm going to show her this and go out for a triple double cheeseburger (don't want to overdo it and push things too much -that mop slap can sting) Also gives me an idea for some music postings to Twisted Candle - some Fats, Chubby Checker, Willie Dixon and some big ole boys who can sing while having the full girth of an NFL offensive lineman. True Blue

https://www.facebook.com/kwongwaikwanellis/videos/1828190050542167/ Hopefully they lock him up for a long, long time.

Randy, Thanks for sharing the great pictures. It's one of those places that is on my bucket list. My father drove up Pike's Peak in the early 1960's while on a business trip to Colorado Springs. Apparently no "guard rails" and the road was gravelly back then making it a harrowing drive both up and down the mountain. I tried to go to Pikes Peak twice in the last decade and the weather would not allow it. My son in law and daughter were there several times and both times the weather would not allow it. I do remember going to the beautiful "Garden of the Gods" which is nearby and well worth visiting. One day I will get to Pikes Peak and visit Garden of the Gods again. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_of_the_Gods http://www.gardenofgods.com/ https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g33364-d104029-Reviews-Garden_of_the_Gods-Colorado_Springs_El_Paso_County_Colorado.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/tom-petty-dead-66-cardiac-arrest-report-article-1.3536756

I saw some cell phone videos of the concert that CBS news got from concert goers. The band was playing , then a small rat-a-tat that some people thought might have been firecrackers, others thought maybe just some noise makers. It was dark, the music was loud so the shooter was able to empty his magazine and reload before the concert goers were able to realize what was going on. Apparently, the shooter was retired, a millionaire pretty well off and liked to gamble. No apparent motive. Senseless.

Dear Allon, Mick, Tsap, and all others who served, You are American heroes. Thank you for your service on behalf of all of us. I am both sorry and ashamed at the lack of support that you and other vets received from the American people both while in Vietnam and after returning. You answered the call when we, your country needed you. Our gratitude and prayers will always be with you.

Did he really pass away? Or is he behind Door #2 : ) He lived a good long life. Maybe he's making a deal with St. Peter at the Pearly Gates...

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2017-09/29/content_32627471.htm And I thought I had seen everything in a vending machine. Hahaha, this one is pretty unbelievable and funny! Wouldn't want to sit down the hall from the vending machine after the driver called in sick for a couple days....

Stepdaughter took trip the trip from China to US on Hainan Airlines. Other then the earlier flight cancelation all was good. They even paid the additional incremental cost caused by having to reschedule the connecting flights due to their cancellation. Flight and price were very good. We would use them again!

I work at a university. They market based on the jobs and salaries that are available to the top 2% and Chinese, Indian, Arab and other foreign students due well because of the pressure on large corporations to hire based on diversity, the willingness of foreign students to study 24/7 and the willingness of foreign students to relocate anywhere for a better job, even if split up from family, spouses, boy friends, girl friends. Most American students except those ABC (American born Chinese) and other 2nd generation kids are unwilling to make those sacrifices. The opportunities are unavailable to them and many work as waiters, waitresses etc. now a batch lord degree is like a high school degree was 40 years ago. Help you get to grad school but little use on its own.. Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs has written extensively about how we need more tradespeople (plumbers, electricians, mechanics, air conditioning repairmen). IMO unless your kid is a 24/7 bookworm better they look into the trades. Other jobs including many medical jobs like reading and interpreting X-rays and other medical.tests are being off shored to Pakistan, Bangledesh, Vietnam etc. Same thing will soon happen to many jobs from US and other Western countries that are now in China. Inflation has caused labor costs to increase in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Beijing and many of those jobs will be moved to the lower labor cost markets of Pakistan, Vietnam, Bangledesh and India. Also as China start enforcing pollution control measures dirty industry will more to countries with no enforcement.

I think nuclear plus electric vehicles will hep the world lessen its long term dependence on rapidly depleting fossil fuels. Probably will help avoid more Middle East deaths as well since the greed for their oil will become diminished.

http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1000916/data-report-tallies-chinese-marriage-scams rjw - headline for this article is Data Report Tallies Chinese Marriage Scams Judgments database shows hundreds of criminal cases involving people deceived by their spouse. Judgments database shows hundreds of criminal cases involving people deceived by their spouse.

A lot of backlash from Vietnam Vets over Burns slant on Vietnam War - http://wmot.org/post/tennessee-vets-react-ken-burns-docoumentary-vietnam-war#stream/0 http://nypost.com/2017/09/19/missing-from-ken-burns-vietnam-the-patriotism-and-pride-of-those-who-fought/ http://www.npr.org/2017/09/18/551726505/va-cautions-ken-burns-vietnam-documentary-could-triggger-ptsd